Anniversary
by imaginationcraze
Summary: Nate forgets their one year anniversary while he's on tour, and Caitlyn's really sad. But, did he really forget? Part of the "Steps In Life" series. *Nominated for Indie CR Award.


_Anniversary_

Mitchie rubbed Caitlyn's shoulder as she cried. "Everything's gonna be okay, Cait." Caitlyn simply sighed as she leant her head on Mitchie's shoulder. She didn't have the energy to give Mitchie a sarcastic comment back. "Just let it out." Mitchie didn't know what else she could do. She'd never even so much as seen Caitlyn shed a single tear.

"He forgot our anniversary, Mitchie." Caitlyn's voice sounded so strained and hurt, that Mitchie heard her own heart break. "How is that considered okay?"

"Caitlyn..."

"He didn't even answer my calls, Mitchie!" Caitlyn rubbed her eyes in a sore attempt to stop the tears from flowing. She couldn't believe she was crying over such a "silly" thing.

"I'm sure he's just busy with the tour." Mitchie tried to reassure her, knowing that it wouldn't be any help. She knew Connect 3's schedule as well as Caitlyn did, and for some strange reason, Nate had three days off while Shane and Jason were guest starring on a TV show.

"That's exactly what I need to hear, Mitchie. My boyfriend's too busy with NOTHING to even remember me. That makes me feel a ton better. Thanks, Mitch." Caitlyn voice dripped with heavy sarcasm.

"Maybe he's—"

"Don't bother standing up for him." Caitlyn shook her head as she grabbed the teddy bear Nate had given her just before he left for the tour. He had told her to hug the bear whenever she missed him. She wrapped her arms around the little bear and kissed its head. "It's one of the most important days in our relationship. He didn't bother to remember, so I'm not going to make a big deal out of it."

"Cait, it's okay to want your boyfriend to do something special for your anniversary." Caitlyn broke out in sobs again.

"I d-didn't w-want a-anything too sp-special, M-Mitchie. I-I just wanted h-him to say a s-simple 'H-happy An-anniversary, C-Caity' i-in th-that mes-mesmeri-rizing v-voice h-he has." Caitlyn choked out. "T-today's s-suppose to b-be a-a h-happy d-day." Mitchie hugged Caitlyn again. "I j-just wanted to h-hear th-those th-three l-lit-tle w-words, w-was it t-too m-much t-to a-ask?"

"It'll never be too much to ask when your boyfriend's an international superstar."

"Does he even care about it?"

"I'm positive he cares. I've seen the way Nate looks at you. It's like you're the only person in the room." Caitlyn raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"If he cared, why has he completely ignored me?"

"Do you want me to get Shane to fly me out and bash him in the head for you?" Mitchie asked sincerely, she was really going to kill this guy for hurting her best friend. It didn't matter if said guy was her boyfriend's brother. Caitlyn shook her head as buried her face in the teddy bear's shoulder.

"Maybe this was how it was meant to be. Maybe this relationship was just destined for failure."

"After everything you've been through together?"

"I don't know, Mitchie. When he asked me out, I wasn't sure. I mean, I knew I liked him, gosh, I've liked him ever since I first met him, but when I thought about things reasonably... he's a famous musician, would he really be able to even remember my name while he's out there on stage with those millions of girls throwing themselves at him?"

"You two stayed together even when Dana tried to ruin your relationship. You two stayed together even when the press released tons of pictures of him supposedly cheating on you. You've been through so much and you're still an item. Don't let a little thing like this ruin it. You love him, are you really willing to let something like this ruin everything you guys have."

"I know..." She squeezed the teddy bear again before continuing. "But I can't help it."

"You just have to give him a chance to explain himself."

"I guess... it's an honest mistake, right? It's _that_ big of a deal." Both girls knew Caitlyn was lying to herself at this point.

"Don't lie to yourself. It's perfectly normal for this to be a _huge_ deal. Besides, they say that everything happens for a reason."

"Who's 'they'?"

"Caitlyn!" Mitchie couldn't help but smile, Caitlyn was joking, this meant that she was at least feeling a bit better. "Is this really the time to—" Mitchie was interrupted as 'Gotta Find You' blasted out of her phone. "Sorry, Cait." Mitchie muttered as she answered the phone. She headed to the kitchen for some privacy.

"Oh sure, just leave me here alone to wallow about my boyfriend, while you just rub it in my face about your _perfect_ relationship with Shane." Mitchie rolled her eyes as she greeted Shane. "Get me some ice cream while you're in there!" At least Caitlyn was in a better mood than before, but it was only a matter of time before she went back to crying.

_xxx_

"Hi, Shane." Mitchie whispered sadly.

"_Hey Mitchie!_"

"Did you have too many brownies again?"

"_Nooo..._" He paused for a moment. "_They're just too good to resist, okay?_"

"All right, was there a specific reason why you called?"

"_I can't call my girlfriend without a reason?"_

"You know what I mean, Shane." Mitchie answered, chuckling a bit herself.

"_Okay, okay, fine, you caught me. I just called to see how 'Naitlyn's' anniversary is going."_

"Naitlyn?"

"_I don't have to say as many words, okay?"_

"Fine, but what do you mean?"

"_I mean, was Caitlyn happy?"_

"Why would she be happy? She was just on the couch crying!"

"_Crying? Why's she crying?"_ Shane groaned. _"What'd Nate do to mess it up?"_

"Uh... forget their anniversary?"

"_Forget? He didn't forget, he's been talking non-stop about he'd planned for it. He even planned the tour dates so that he'd be able to spend the day with her!"_

"He did that for her?"

"_Mitchie, Nate's been crushing on Caitlyn for five years. He'd be willing to do _anything_ for her."_

"So, if he planned something... why isn't he here?"

"_I don't know! He should have arrived like two hours ago."_

_xxx_

"You don't understand, I _have_ to get there. I planned _everything_ so that our anniversary would be perfect, you can't tell me now that they cancelled the flight."

"Look kid, it's not my decision whether flights are cancelled or not, you're just going to have to find another way to your girlfriend."

Nate groaned and rubbed his forehead. His flight had been cancelled because there weren't enough people that had bought tickets.

"Is there any other way there? Transfer flights, _anything?_ I just _need_ to get there."

"Well, you can take the plane to Vienna, then to Paris, then to Halifax, then to Vancouver, then to Seattle."

"Isn't there a faster way? I mean, can I like, sign something for you?" Nate was getting fed up with this desk lady.

"When you put it _that_ way, I think I can arrange for you to fly to Toronto then to Seattle."

"Thank you!"

"My pleasure." The desk lady, Sharon, smiled sweetly.

_xxx_

Nate bit his lip as he waited for the place to take flight. He was beyond nervous, he had gotten to Toronto no problem, but his flight to Seattle had been delayed. His phone had died, and he hadn't had any Canadian coins to use the pay phones to make an international call.

"Hello," a woman that looked to be about in her mid fifties smiled at Nate as she sat down in the seat next to him.

"Hi," Nate answered politely, smiling slightly at her, before turning back to stare out the window.

"You know, you remind me of someone I've seen on posters."

"I'm Nate Gray, part of Connect 3, the band."

"Oh! My nieces love your music! Would you mind too terribly if I asked for an autograph for them?"

"It's all right. The fans mean everything to us." Nate said as he signed a slip of paper for her.

Halfway through the flight, Nate began playing with the necklace he had gotten for Caitlyn. He had had the necklace made about two months before their anniversary and was hoping with all his heart that Caitlyn would like it. The necklace was a keyboard, Caitlyn's main instrument, and a guitar, Nate's main instrument, intertwined together with two small diamonds gracing each instrument.

"You seem like a nervous wreck." The woman said, startling him out of his trance.

"Yeah, I'm just a bit nervous."

"If you don't mind me asking, why?"

"Today's my anniversary with my girlfriend, and I'm flying over there to spend it with her, but by the looks of it, I might not make it until our anniversary is over."

"I'm sure she'll understand, since you're willing to fly all the way to Seattle just to see her. She must be pretty special."

"She is."

"She's a lucky girl to have someone care so much for her." Nate smiled and nodded absentmindedly to her words, but it still didn't settle the worry that was already in his mind.

From what he knew of Caitlyn, she was probably mad at him. She probably thought that he had completely forgot about their anniversary. Of course, she had no idea that he was coming in the first place, but that didn't stop him from fretting over the fact that she might not even let him in the door.

He gave a breath of relief as the captain announced that they would be landing in a few minutes.

_xxx_

Mitchie held out the tub of ice cream to Caitlyn, smiling sadly as her friend took a huge spoonful out of it. "Cait, there's something I have to tell y—", but she was interrupted by a knock at the door. "How about you get that, Cait?"

"Are you seriously telling me to get the door while I look like a mess?" Caitlyn gestured towards her tear stained face.

"I think so, yeah. I'll be in my room." And Mitchie walked back to her room briskly, not giving Caitlyn time to retort.

"MITCHIE!" Caitlyn called, but Mitchie just ignored her. Groaning, Caitlyn made a measly attempt to wipe away the tear stains and walked to the door, still hugging the teddy bear.

Nate stood nervously at the door with a hopeful look in his eyes. In his hands, he held a bouquet of pink roses, she had always told him that she hated how red roses were always described as _blood_ red.

Caitlyn gasped as she took in who was standing outside the door. She was at a loss for words.

Nate cringed as he saw the puffiness of her eyes. It was obvious she had been crying, and it was entirely his fault. She was even hugging the teddy bear he had given her.

"N-Nate? What are you doing here?" Caitlyn asked once she finally found her voice.

"Happy Anniversary, Caity." Nate said, holding out the roses and smiling slightly.

"You came here to..."

"To spend our anniversary with you." Nate said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner." He was surprised when Caitlyn suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm just happy you didn't forget about me." She said, giving him a kiss on the lips.

"I couldn't ever forget about you, Caity. I'm sorry I made you cry." Nate whispered as he buried his face in her hair.

"These are beautiful, Nate." She said, taking the flowers.

"For a beautiful girl." Nate simply replied. Once she had put the flowers away, the two moved to the couch.

"I'm really sorry I made you cry. My flight got cancelled."

"Nate," Caitlyn placed a hand on his chest as if to reassure him. "Really, I don't mind crying a few tears if it meant I got to see you again."

"I love you." Nate tightened his hold on her, wrapping his arms around her slender body.

"I love you too." Caitlyn settled into his grasp. Nate removing one arm, reached into the pocket of his skinny jeans and held up the necklace, letting it dangle from his fingers. Caitlyn looked up, with tears of happiness in her eyes. "It's beautiful, Nate." Nate reached over brushed away her hair, carefully clasping the necklace around her neck.

And they spent the last few moments of their anniversary together, in each other's arms.


End file.
